"Gymnastics-Russians hope to emerge from the abyss" -
http://au.sports.yahoo.com/061010/3/x9l4.html
Nemov: "I'm praying for a strong finish but we have to be realistic about our expectations this year," Nemov told Reuters as he clapped his hands together and rolled his eyes skywards.
Nemov, the last Russian male gymnast to climb to the top of the podium at an Olympics, feels his country is still paying the price for the talent drain that took place when the Soviet Union disbanded.
"After the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991, many coaches moved to America and left Russia with a shortage of expertise," said Nemov.
"The young generation have had to depend on inexperienced coaches but we hope in time they will achieve the desired results.
While the charismatic Russian has no desire to coach himself, describing the job as too stressful, he has used his time to devise a gymnastics show -- called 'Legend about Sport'-- which he hopes will increase the popularity of the sport in his country.
"I created and staged my own show encompassing all four disciplines in gymnastics -- artistic, rhythmic, trampoline and acrobatic -- and it was a big extravaganza with many well known names and I hope to take this show to the rest of Europe," said Nemov.
"We have invited the experienced coaches to come back to Russia to train our sportsmen and the Russian oligarchs are financially supporting and funding the training of our athletes under experienced coaches.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has encouraged coaches to come back and train our sportsmen and this will eventually bring results."